Sri Jagannath temple bans entry with Smartphone from Jan. 01

Puri: Smartphones to be banned inside the Sri Jagannath temple from the new year.
Sri Jagannath temple managing committee meeting held here on Thursday passed the resolution banning smartphones inside the 12th century shrine.
Elaborating details, Temple chief administrator Vir Vikram Yadav said the managing committee has approved the proposal passed by Chhatisha nijog meeting held on December 7 last.
The devotees, servitors, police and temple administrative officers and staff will deposit their phones before entering into the temple at the mobile phone counter.
The servitors entering the temple will deposit their smart phones at the South gate and Singh Dwar (main gate), the chief administrator told media.
Apart from this the temple body founded Adarsh Gurukul society has signed MoU with Birla Education Society for establishing a Gurukul education complex for the children of the temple servitors.
About 34 acres of land in Matitota area of the town has been allocated in favour of Adarsh Gurukul society.
Principal chief conservator of forest (PCCF) Debidutt Biswal informed the Managing Committee that of the four thousand acres land allocated to Sri Jagannath Bana Prakalpa about three thousand six hundred acres have been used for plantation of Phasi, Asan and Dhaura trees required for construction of three chariots.
The SJTA had asked the state forest department to carry out afforestation work in about 1600 acres of temple land which are having forest status, the chief administrator said.
The development plan for Jagannath Ballav, the pleasure garden of the lord and Gundicha temple were placed before the Managing Committee. It was resolved to take up the work after the tender process is over.
Repairs to the Gundicha temple will be completed by April, the chief administrator said.
The temple administration will prefer an appeal against the National Green Tribunal (NGT) which has imposed a fine of Rs.12 crore for illegal mining in Khurdha.
The Managing Committee also approved the proposals of the servitor welfare committee and finance sub-committee, the chief administrator said.
The meeting was presided over by the Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb. All the official and servitor members participated in the meeting. (UNI)